worried about my russian tortoise

Jenanprid

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Feb 22, 2017
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Hi i have a russian tortoise, i have taken him the vet four times now due to him not eating and his eyes wont open, the vet done some tests and he has a bacteria infection in his eyes, we have tried all different kinds of antibiotics but nothing seems to be working and the vet doesnt know what he can do next, he told me my temps and food and tortoise table are fine there is nothing wrong with that, all i am wondering is if anyone has been through the same thing and what the outcome was.

Thank you
 

TechnoCheese

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Hi i have a russian tortoise, i have taken him the vet four times now due to him not eating and his eyes wont open, the vet done some tests and he has a bacteria infection in his eyes, we have tried all different kinds of antibiotics but nothing seems to be working and the vet doesnt know what he can do next, he told me my temps and food and tortoise table are fine there is nothing wrong with that, all i am wondering is if anyone has been through the same thing and what the outcome was.

Thank you

Please make your own thread, with lots of pictures and more info included :)
 

Jenanprid

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I dont know how to make my own thread, it asks me to add people onto it and i dont know anyone on here to add, what more information do u need. I just want to know if anyone has been through the same thing
 

wellington

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Hi i have a russian tortoise, i have taken him the vet four times now due to him not eating and his eyes wont open, the vet done some tests and he has a bacteria infection in his eyes, we have tried all different kinds of antibiotics but nothing seems to be working and the vet doesnt know what he can do next, he told me my temps and food and tortoise table are fine there is nothing wrong with that, all i am wondering is if anyone has been through the same thing and what the outcome was.

Thank you
What type of lighting/uvb are you using? If it is the coil type stop using it.
 

Jenanprid

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I have already said i have told the vet my lighting i use, that i use a tortoise table and the food i feed him he told me everything is great, he keeps russian tortoises him self, can someone just answer my question instead of going on about the set up and the lighting, thats all anyone says on here, if no one has been through my situation just say no or dont comment. And you must be stupid to use a coil light!!
 

TechnoCheese

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I have already said i have told the vet my lighting i use, that i use a tortoise table and the food i feed him he told me everything is great, he keeps russian tortoises him self, can someone just answer my question instead of going on about the set up and the lighting, thats all anyone says on here, if no one has been through my situation just say no or dont comment. And you must be stupid to use a coil light!!

No one can help you until you give us more information. That’s why we asked. We can’t just pull out a solution out of the blue, unless we have an idea of what’s causing it. Lighting is one thing, and there are several other factors that could be cause of the problem.
Also, by the way, most vets have no idea what they’re talking about, regardless of owning a tortoise or not. Most info online is completely false, and people, even vets, go by that info.
You asked us what other information we need, and we told you. Please get off your high horse, and answer the questions so that we can help you.
 
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Jay Bagley

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I definitely agree about the vet not knowing much about tortoises. Our " exotic vet" wanted to see Sheldon, so since it wasn't a very long drive and I had to pick up worming medication anyways I brought him so she could look at him real quick. Upon looking at him, she said looks like you definitely have a male. When I asked her how could you tell, he's still too small to positively ID. She said look at the spurs on his front legs, only males have those. I drove the entire way home shaking my head.
 

Bambam1989

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I definitely agree about the vet not knowing much about tortoises. Our " exotic vet" wanted to see Sheldon, so since it wasn't a very long drive and I had to pick up worming medication anyways I brought him so she could look at him real quick. Upon looking at him, she said looks like you definitely have a male. When I asked her how could you tell, he's still too small to positively ID. She said look at the spurs on his front legs, only males have those. I drove the entire way home shaking my head.
Ha! He's a tort not a chicken!
 

daniellenc

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Pictures of the tort and setup would be helpful. Maybe a light is too close and burning his eyes, maybe the substrates an irratant, and maybe you could get some help if we could see. If you were doing everything perfectly the odds of your tortoise being sick are slim. If your vet were so stellar btw he’d of cultured the eye to determine what antibiotic would be best and not just keep giving you different medications. Maybe it’s not a bacterial infection and he’s wrong. Bilateral infections don’t happen at the same time. It would start in one eye and move to the other if not treated. Are the eyes cloudy, have discharge, or just not open? Like stated above if you want help people need to see what your describing and see how your tort is kept.
 

Jenanprid

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I no all of you are just trying to help and i apologize for the moody reply, i just felt frustrated as i just want him to be better, it is 2:30am here in the uk so i will give u all the information you need tomorrow, just give me a list of what you all need to know and i will get it for you,

Thank you for trying to help
 

daniellenc

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Just a picture of his home and eyes! I know you’re frustrated and I’m hoping someone here can help once they see his eyes and where’s he’s kept. Also, day and night lime temps, humidity, and the kind of heating and lighting you’re using.
 

Jenanprid

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Right ok, i will put some pictures up now, i keep my light on for about 18 hours due to the uk being a cold place, so when the light is on it is 37°c and the cool part is 23°c and when the light goes off the temp is 27°c and the cool side is 21°c i turn the light off when we turn the heating on, it keeps my room warm and when we do have hot weather i let him roam around the garden, my tortoise doesnt have any liquid coming from his nose or anything from its mouth, i do notice his eyes go watery after i bathe him, i am using a 80w light at the moment but i have just bought a 100w just incase i need it. I was told by the vet to use paper until he gets better so i have done what he has told me, i use to use bark and topsoil, the vet said it could of been something on the bark that made his eyes this way. I dont know if the person i got him from wormed him so just incase i have bought some of that to try, i can see he twitches sometimes as if he is being bitten i dont know, im trying to think of everything, anyway i will upload the photos now, if you need to know anything else just let me know
 

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daniellenc

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Thank you!! So with the size of his table 100 watt is probably going to run too hot. Can you get a greenhouse cover over the top and hang your lights? Trapping the heat is probably good. Paper is always good if they’re sick to monitor stools and keep things extra clean. What kind of bark did u use and topsoil? Fertilizer in dirt is dangerous and pine shavings are toxic. Look for closed chamber threads and you’ll see the greenhouse covers. Is he eating and pooping when you soak him. His eyes are definitely not normal but as they’re not open I can’t say burned. However on a positive note I don’t see discharge. Hopefully someone more experienced will see something I don’t. He’s super cute btw and there’s lots of Russian keepers here but I’m leaning towards eye burn maybe. If he’s eating, soaked daily, and pooping that is.
 

Diamond

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I'm thinking you need humidity. Perhaps you could put some moist coco coir on one side of the table and cover the table with a shower curtain with the lights under the curtain to create some humidity. I use a shower curtain over my enclosure and am able to keep the humidity up around 60 to 70% I'm not sure if you mentioned how old your tortoise is or if I missed it. I had a RT who had the same issue a few years ago because I did not know about the need for humidity. Mine was a hatchling.
 

Jenanprid

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Just to let you all know my tortoise is getting a lot better, he is now eating, pooping, and his eyes are opening, and he is very active, ive been doing everything i can. The vet didnt help at all. i think it might of been a lack of vitamin A im not 100% on that but he seems to be getting better, he is still rubbing his little eyes though so im thinking there is an infection there, have any of you heard of the cream Terramycin if so what does it look like and where could i buy it from? I dont want to get the wrong cream this is why i am asking what it looks like. Thanks
 

Millerlite

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Seems like things are alright temp wise and enclosure wise. Sometimes tortoises eyes will swell shut with low Vit. A. Or just dehydration or stress. I would keep doing what your doing. Maybe add a warm soak to make sure your little guy is staying hydrated. It sounds like what ever it was it has passed. Keep us updated !

Kyle
 

Jenanprid

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It wouldnt of been dehydration as i bathe him every day and even before he got sick i bathed him every 2 days so it must of been a vitiman issue, if anyone can help me with this cream though i will be greatful :)
 

Jenanprid

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I had already had stuff from the vet, he doesnt have a clue what hes doing, he had to look on the internet for ideas, its because of me my tortoise is getting better, and plus he will charge me over £70 just for the cream, ive already spent over £400 with him, am sure i can get this cream online somewhere.
 

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